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Town without pity

The day before I read your Nov. 27 story Diner owner fleeing Morris, I went to see the movie Twelve Years a Slave. The movie is very well done. Watching it was very emotional and draining. At times, I could not keep my eyes on the screen.

When the movie ended, I was surprised to see a sprinkle of people laughing. Were these people from Morris, I now wonder?

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I realize that not everyone in Morris is like these pathetic, sick individuals. Thea Morris is only trying to make a living through hard work. She is the type of immigrant Canada needs.

I shall be pleased to visit any business she may open in the future.

LYNNE COOPER

Winnipeg

If all the non-racists in Morris joined hands and embraced this woman's new restaurant and became regular customers to stand up to those who are less tolerant, things might change.

How horrible for anyone to put up with such disgraceful behaviour.

SYLVIA GABRIEL

Winnipeg

It should come as no surprise that such attitudes exist in a town whose signature event is bullying animals for entertainment.

Debbie Wall

Winnipeg

Treating facts lightly

The Nov. 25 front-page headline Snowmobile mishap kills city businessman is not factual as indicated by your paper's own reporting. Also, the Page 3 headline Businessman dies snowmobiling would have been closer to the truth had it said "while snowmobiling."

The facts are clearer in the story itself, where it reads the real cause of death was a heart attack, and "the snowmobile slowly veered off the path into a reed-filled ditch."

Does the Free Press bear no responsibility for telling the truth when it creates front-page headlines, or are you just trying to get a reader's attention at any cost?

DON COMACK

Winnipeg

Respecting daycare workers

Shamona Harnett concludes her Nov. 25 piece, Crackers? Or nuts?, with two questions: "Do day-care workers understand good nutrition?" and "Who should teach it to them?"

First of all, the second question implies that the answer to the first question is "no." I would suggest that she spend some time in one of Manitoba's many excellent early-learning and child-care programs to gain an awareness of this vital resource.

This way she would be able to answer her question for herself. As someone who is employed in such a program, I would appreciate it if Harnett would refer to me as an early-childhood practitioner, an early-childhood educator or an ECE.

I would suspect that if I called her a newspaper-story person rather than a journalist she would be offended.

BRENDA STILL

Winnipeg

Governing by politeness

Buried near the end of your Nov. 23 story Region still seeking to tap into natural gas is a remarkable revelation. Several Manitoba rural municipalities had talks with the province and Manitoba Hydro on the issue of extending natural gas service to south-central Manitoba. However, "Hydro and the province later indicated to the Free Press they met with the group largely out of courtesy."

There you have it, folks. The NDP knows what's best for you, and Manitoba Hydro has already decided what it's doing about it. Consultations with municipalities, farmers or First Nations are not actually to respond to concerns, but are just "out of courtesy."

ROBERT FOSTER

Winnipeg

Access to groceries

I live downtown with many other seniors. With winter coming, we are still worried about getting our groceries.

We hope something will be done soon in Portage Place or the Bay basement. We desperately need something connected to the skywalk.

Many people with walkers or motorized chairs are not able to move too far and could not manage bus travel. We need a grocery store, connected to the skywalk.

BETTY CURNEW

Winnipeg

During a brief residence in the West Broadway neighbourhood, I was appalled at the lack of fresh, healthy groceries available within walking distance of where I was staying. Knowing how many people live in that area with no convenient method of transport to major grocery stores, I consider it critically important for public health that more options for eating well be accessible to those residents.

An exceptional number of fresh, local produce options exist in Manitoba. However, at this point, these options all exist just beyond this neighbourhood's reach. The weekly summertime Sherbrook Street Farmer's Market is a good start, but families with tight schedules also need access, and they should be present year-round.

It is all too common a stereotype that low-income core urban residents abuse themselves by not eating well. Maybe they would do so if it was actually made possible for them. One day I would like to walk into the corner stores on Broadway and find something healthier than chips, pop and cigarettes.

JONAS CORNELSON

Winnipeg

A turn for the better

I am delighted to read about a plan for improving the Perimeter Highway (South Perimeter on NDP rebuilding list, Nov. 27). I would implore the planners to consider immediately improving our commuter safety both eastbound and westbound, near the railway tracks on the south perimeter between St. Anne's Road and Lagimodiere Boulevard, by removing the left-turn opportunity or creating a proper turning lane if possible.

I have witnessed several high-speed collisions at those sites, as drivers currently turn left directly from the highway's passing lane. I would also urge that there be consideration given to buffering the constantly increasing highway noise through better berms or other structures wherever residential areas back onto the Perimeter.

As a longtime Fort Richmond resident, I have been dismayed to experience the exponential increase in road noise in my neighbourhood (try holding a conversation while walking by the river) and fear that with increasing CentrePort traffic volume, spending time outdoors will become a thing of the past. I hope there will be a public meeting at which these concerns might be "heard."

CYNTHIA HOMMEL

Winnipeg

My teeth are grinding at your glaring grammatical error. You state that the Perimeter is the "most busiest" highway. You should have known better than to use this appalling phrase.

Also, how does McPhillips Street intersect the Perimeter twice as shown on the map?

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All you need to do is be a Winnipeg Free Press print or e-edition subscriber to join the conversation and give your feedback.